April 23, 2007

28 Days Later - Aftermath

I re-watched 28 Days Later this past weekend as a refresher for the upcoming 28 Weeks Later. I also picked up the newly released graphic novel -28 Days Later: The Aftermath which has four stories; 2 dealing with the events that lead up to the outbreak in the first movie and another 2 which deal with the events after the 28 days (Days 29 to 42) and serve as a lead into 28 Weeks Later.

I was a little disappointed with the book, four stories packed into 91 pages come off as a little rushed. The first two stories don't really go into any great depth of enhancing the back story told in 28 Days Later. The third story is by far the weakest of the bunch and is really just a wankfest of drawing. Steve Niles typed out script/description of the story (presumably given to the artist to draw out) is also included at the end of the book. I don't know if this is supposed to be a behind the scenes type bonus or filler. Possibly to provide some detail on the paper thin story which is filled up multiple panels of the infected going "Ghaaagh!" in an attempt to reveal some part of the time line which is not totally evident not having seen the second movie.

They've put the majority of the first story together as an animated preview (which incidentally read more like a storyboard than a comic when I first read it). *note they drop a couple f-bombs if you're watching this at work!

Despite this weak book I'm still looking forward to the movie coming out May 11th.

December 20, 2006

Hodgmania

If someone asked me to recommend the best book I read this year about matters historical, matters literary, matters cryptozoological, hobo matters, food, drink, & cheese (a kind of food), squirrels & lobsters & eels, haircuts, utopia, what will happen in the future and most other subjects written by someone who is also a PC and a resident expert I would have trouble recommending something other than
John Hodgman'sThe Areas of My Expertise.

Now for people who can't read or are too lazy it is now available in abridged audio format for free on itunes. Sadly it's only available in the American itunes store. I'll update if it becomes available in the Canadian store. Until then I'll have to resort to bootlegging the free version from elsewhere.